Biography

“Bettman jams it up like few others as she leads an ensemble with great imagination.” – Maverick Magazine, UK

Stephanie Bettman has been described as a triple threat. An accomplished writer, her songs are infused with wit and wisdom. As a vocalist, she has drawn comparisons to such legendary singers as Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez and Alison Krauss. Meanwhile, her fiddling, which combines elements ofbluegrass and jazz, is filled with influences from such masters as Stephane Grappelli, Byron Berline and Johnny Gimble.

Luke Halpin is a renowned multi-instrumentalist who draws inspiration from the likes of Sam Bush, Mark O’Connor and Tony Rice. A dynamic vocalist himself, Halpin has worked the stages with the likes of Merle Haggard, Lone Star and The Steve Miller Band. On their first collaborative effort, "It All Comes Back To Love", the duo has created a fully acoustic, delightfully eclectic sound that is far greater than the sum of it's parts.

The album is produced with delicate perfection by Ed Tree (Spencer Davis Band, Rita Coolidge) who also plays bass and guitar on various tracks. Particular highlights include Luke's original composition "Buttonwillow" a groovy gypsy grass instrumental that is exciting and fun from start to finish, Stephanie's catchy "I Just Wanna Love You" that will haveyou singing along despite yourself, and the co-write "Fiddler's Bend" reminiscent of the hit "Fishin' In The Dark".

Together they weave a spell that takes the listener from the up tempo down home fiddlin' of "Fiddler's Bend", to the soulful sorrowful ballads like the transcendent "The Darker Side Of Happy" and the heartbreaking "The Sound Of Time", to the super hooky folk/pop of the title track: "It All Comes Back ToLove". The hooks and lyrics will stick with you long after the album is over.Touring together since Bettman released her acclaimed "Get Close To Me" (which hit the #8 spot on the Folk DJ Charts), the duo has been recognized in various Regional and National competitions, including Grand Prize Winners in the 2008 So Cal Live Acoustic Music Competition and Winners of the 2007Topanga Banjo / Fiddle Contest, as well as being named in Music Connection’s Top 25 New Music Critiques of 2008.

A former theater actress and trapeze artist, Stephanie is also a mulit-talented artist. She has performed in plays, musicals, and operas from Los Angeles to New York, with many stops in between. (Not to mention a few Circuses along the way.)

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Lyrics

Get Close To Me

I am the wind through the trees gently blowingI am the sun on your back warmly glowingI am the rain on your faceI am here and every place I am love, I am loveGet close to me

I am the song in your head sweetly playingI am the joy in your feet that keeps you swayingI am fragrance in the airI am flowers in your hairI am love, I am loveGet close to me

Get close to me when the colder breezes blowGet close to me when you feel like you don't knowEverything that's in this world is an answer to a prayerI am love, I am loveGet close to me

When you look into the darknessI am the light from your eyesWhen a fear sneaks up behind youI am the courage deep insideWhen all else do seem to leave youAnd the world looks on to grieve youI am love, I am loveGet close to me

Get close to me when the colder breezes blowGet close to me when you feel like you don't knowEverything that's in this world is an answer to a prayerI am love, I am loveGet close to meGet close to me when the colder breezes blowGet close to me when you feel like you don't knowWhen you listen to your heart You will find that I am thereI am love, I am loveGet close to me

The Letting Go

Written By: Stephanie Bettman

She said Grandpa, how'd you get this far?Life's been so hard, I've got so many scarsHe said simple, some day you'll see.It's not what you have it's what you no longer need

The letting goThat's the keyThe letting goWill set you freeThe tighter you hold onThe harder it goesThe more you let goThe easier it flows

She said Mama, he's leaving meHow will I live, how will I breatheMama said simple, some day you'll seeIt's not who you love, it's who you choose to be

The letting goThat's the keyThe letting goWill set you freeThe tighter you hold onThe harder it goesThe more you let goThe easier it flows

Their baby was born only seven years agoBut he left this earth and why nobody knowsThe doctors said nothingHis mama kept cryingHis daddy lay down and just wished he were dyingBut in the quiet of their hearts a little voice sighedIt's not how long you stay it's how much love you leave behind

The letting goThat's the keyThe letting goWill set you freeThe tighter you hold onThe harder it goesThe more you let goThe easier it flows

I Love Ya Honey

Written By: Stephanie Bettman

I don't wanna be your girlfriendI don't wanna be your wifeI'm not tryin' to take you overI don't wanna run your lifeI'm not lookin' for a saviorIf you leave I'll be okaySo don't make the wrong assumption, babyI just got one thing to say

I love ya honey What wrong with that?I don't wanna wear your wedding ringI might wanna wear your hatI like to be with youCause you make me smileI'm not looking for my better halfJust come on over for awhile

People want to know the rules dearPeople wanna draw the linesTo help then find an understandingHelp them keep the common tiesI don't get the games they like to playYou've got your life I've got mineI don't wanna steal your life awayI just wanna spend some time

Cause I love ya honey What wrong with that?I don't wanna wear your wedding ringI might wanna wear your hatI like to be with youCause you make me smileI'm not looking for my better halfJust come on over for awhile

Some say love is a contractOthers say it's a diseasePeople search the world over Just to give their hearts reliefI say all there is is love It's inside you it's inside meAll we have to do is open upAnd the truth shall set us free

And I love ya honeyWhat's true is trueYou don't need to be my shining knightI just want you to be youI like to be with youYou like to be with meSo let's come together now and thenAnd set each other freeLet's come together now and thenAnd set each other free

Why Can't We

Written By: Stephanie Bettman

PFC Milton didn't want to become just another name on a list.He stood alone at the zoo Not yet twenty twoThinking of things he would missAs he started to pray he imagined the day he would see if he made it throughHe would always be fineHe would always take timeTo play like orangutans do.

Swinging so carefreeRunning around Climbing up just to jump downThey squeal and they play and at the end of the dayThey hold onto each otherA child or or a brotherThey're all in the same familyHe wonders aloud why can't we?

He envies their cages as he flips through the pages of deployment orders in handHe's heard of the scorpionsSpiders and WaspsAnd the cruel and unending sandDon't care how he fakes itHe can't seem to shake itThis gripping and strangling fearSo he tightens his jawTryin' to toughen himself For these days that each feel like a yearHe wished he were

Swinging so carefreeRunning around Climbing up just to jump downSquealing and playing and then he'd find himself sayingLet's hold onto each otherA child or or a brotherWe're all in the same familyHe wonders aloud why can't we?

I met him that dayAnd we were miles awayThough only a few feet apartHe longed for connectionHe met hesitationFor I felt his fear in my heartWhile the monkeys were

Swinging so carefreeRunning around Climbing up just to jump downThey squeal and they play and at the end of the dayThey hold onto each otherA child or or a brotherThey're all in the same familyWe wonder aloud why can't we?Yes we wonder aloud why can't we...

PFC Milton didn't want to become just another name on a list.

Seed of Doubt

Written By: Stephanie Bettman

It was planted in the early morning birthplace of her lifeNext to memories of a beautiful new SpringIt was watered with the tears of unknown trouble and strife and the fears of what a faithless future brings

It's that little seed of doubt that little grain of worry grown out on a troubled brow oh for a heart that knows no fearwhere would she be without that little seed of doubt

She turned around to find herself all tangled up and wornand tired of the struggles of the worldthat night she had a dream about a new life being born but didn't trust it was her own life to unfoldshe didn't trust it was her own life to unfold

It's that little seed of doubt that little grain of worry grown out on a troubled brow oh for a heart that knows no fearwhere would she be without that little seed of doubt

Then one day as she wandered through the world that she had madeshe came upon a girl she left behindher sight was so she plainly saw the Beauty make a tradefor her freedom here's a lying peace of mindshe traded freedom for a lying peace of mind

It was that little seed of doubt that little grain of worry grown out on a troubled brow oh for a heart that knows no fearwhere would I be without that little seed of doubt

Where would I be withoutthat little seed of doubt

The Darker Side Of Happy

Written By: Stephanie Bettman

She always knew the darker side of happy Life was too much pain to for her to bearHaunted by the knowledge of a freedom And she was sure she would not find it anywhereShe made her way down home inside a bottle And jumped off from her chair quite easilyThe rope around her neck held with a startleAs she tumbled deep into eternity

They all said / it was a lossThey all felt / a mortal shameThey all cried / in separate cornersThey all held themselves to blame

But know one knew her sideThat for her it was reliefShe lived alone and often criedFor her view was filled with anger and griefAnd for days no one even knew she’d goneYes for days no one even knew she’d goneHe always knew the darker side of happyLiving lonely with a woman by his sideHe couldn’t find the strength keep on goingTrapped inside a heart that could not learn to flyHe made his way to work where no one noticedThe gun inside the desk locked a keyOne final thunder clap that everybody noticedAs he flew away into eternity

They all said / it was a lossThey all felt / a mortal shameThey all cried / in separate cornersThey all held themselves to blame

But know one knew his sideThat for him it was reliefHe lived alone with a woman and his prideFor his heart was filled with anger and griefAnd for days no one could believe he’d goneYes for days no one could believe he’d gone

I Just Wanna Love You

Written By: Stephanie Bettman

It seems to me that there’s a shadow on the sunBut I keep on saying that sunny days will come againThey will come againThere seems to be a tragic contradiction in the worldOf right and wrong who belongs and the meaning in the name of GodThe name of God

Hey what can I sayI just want to love youI just want to love youThat’s all I can doHey don’t run awayI just want to love youI just want to love you And love you, I do.

It seems to me that we are swimming in the darkAnd someone started the rumor of a shark somewhereThere’s a shark somewhere

So here we are clinging to the pillar of a pierThe rumor is the killer there’s no sharks here. Its just fearIts just fear

Chorus

I seem to recall that somebody said We must not be afraidThere’s nothing to fear but the thing itselfSo fear not, fear not…fear not

Hey what can I say I just wanna love youI just wanna love you That’s all I can doHey don’t run awayI just want to love youI just want to love you And love you, I do.

It seems to me that there’s a shadow on the sunBut I keep on saying that sunny days’ll come againThey will come again.

Fiddler's Bend

Written By: Stephanie Bettman & Luke Halpin

Down from the holler where the gravel road endsNo one is a stranger everybody’s friendsThey all get together when the workday endsDancin’ round the fire at the Fiddler’s BendDancin’ round the fire at the fiddler’s bend.

Steve is building dreams out of old driftwoodKathy’s in the kitchen cooking something goodOut here at the bend, everything is as it should beNever lacking. And the river runs free.

Chorus

When you’re weary you will findIt all works out here, where the river unwindsThere’s plenty for everyone, squirrels and fishesNo one walks alone here. And the dogs do the dishes.

Chorus

Where love is stronger than a floodWhere love is hotter than a fireWhere love is patient as an old man watching the river grow higher

Down from the holler where the gravel road endsNo one is a stranger everybody’s friendsThey all get together when the workday endsDancin’ round the fire at the Fiddler’s BendDancin’ round the fire at the fiddler’s bend.

Down from the holler where the gravel road endsNo one is a stranger everybody’s friendsThey all get together when the workday endsDancin’ round the fire at the Fiddler’s BendDancin’ round the fire at the fiddler’s bend.

It All Comes Back To Love

Written By: Stephanie Bettman

There is a wall called right and wrong That severs you from meThere is a fear of the unknown That colors all we seeBut the seeds of love are plantedAnd I know they will growTo show us different visions Of the things we think we know

Like a vine it will coverAny walls that we can raiseLike the redwoods it will towerHigher than the fear we praiseChoking out the weeds of hate Its roots will still extend For it all comes back to LoveIn the end

There is a knife called judgmentThat cuts the ties that bindAnd an illness known as prejudice That poisons both our mindsBut the seeds of love are planted And if we can let them beWe’ll share the fruits of lovelinessThat grow upon the tree

Like a vine it will coverAll the walls that we can raiseLike the redwoods it will towerHigher than the fear we praiseChoking out all the weeds of fear Its roots will still extend For it all comes back to LoveIn the end

But they must be tended (the seeds of love)If we want them to growThey must be tended (the seeds of love)Oh the seeds of love

Like a vine it will coverAll the walls that we can raiseLike the redwoods it will towerHigher than the fear we praiseChoking out all the weeds of fear Its roots will still extend For it all comes back to LoveIn the endOooooohIt all comes back to LoveIn the end

Discography

It All Comes Back To Love - Full length: #5 on Follk DJ / Number #3 Song: Self Produced / Distributed by Burnside.Get Close To Me - Full length: #8 on Folk DJ / Number #6 song: Self Produced

Set List

We are an original band. We can play for three minutes or three hours. We will do cool covers on occasion - but mostly we play our own award-winning originals.